Pigmares

July 30, 2012
Cushman pairs pigs with classic movie monsters to create pun-heavy poems, including “Porker from the Black Lagoon” and “Pigzilla.” While unabashedly silly, the poems are also fluid and clever: “Why is the werehog howling?/ Is his pig swill at an end?/ Did he stub his toe upon a rock/ or lose his best pig friend?/ The werehog howls his torment./ He yowls his mournful tune./ The saddest sound you’ll ever hear:/ his oinking at the moon!” The pen-and-ink depictions of comically sinister hogs pair seamlessly with these crowd-pleasing poems. Ages 7–10.

September 1, 2012
Grades 2-6 They stumble on decaying limbs; / flesh hangs like half-pulled toffee. This title, featuring gruesome nonsense verse about vampire piglets and porkers from the Black Lagoon, will appeal to both young kids as well as older readers who may recognize the sly references to classic movies, from Dr Hogwell and Mr. Pigg to The Bride of Frankenswine. Cushman's wild ink-and-watercolor cartoons extend the fun with images of Pig Kong and the Phantom Hog of the Opera. An appendix includes summaries of the movies that inspired the verse. Great fun for Halloween sharing.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)